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Patentad Nov. 22, I898.

E. McHUGH WORD REGISTER FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(No Nodal.)

3 Shuts-Sheet I.

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Patented Nov. 22, I898.

No. 6l4,492.

E. MCHUGH. WORD REGISTER FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application filed Jan. 22, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Invent or 7 (lines s as No. 6|4,492. Patented Nov. 22, I898.

E. MGHUGH. WORD REGISTER FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

(Application fllod Jan. 32,. 1898.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3;

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such like documents.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD MCI-IUGH, OF DUBLIN, IRELAND.

WORD-REGISTER FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 614,492, dated.November 22, 1898 Application filed January 22, 1898. Serial No.667,640. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MOI-IUGH, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of Dublin, Ireland, have invented acertain new and useful WVord- Register for Type-W'riting Machines, (forwhich I have obtained provisional protection in the United Kingdom ofGreat Britain and Ireland, dated July 6, 1897, and numbered 16,018;) andI do hereby declare the following to be a specification thereof.

The invention has reference to new improved means for automaticallycounting the words typed by type-writing machines in aconvenient,accurate,economical,and efficient manner. The counting ofwords typed by these useful machines is obviously desirable in theordinary course of commercial work, especially in legal work, whereaccuracy is necessary in estimating the number of folios contained inbriefs, conveyances, leases, and

Hitherto various attempts have been made to attain this end bymechanical contrivances of various kinds. Some of these formed anintegral part of the type-writer,while others consisted of detachedapparatus coupled to the type-writer by various mechanical means. Allsuch attempts, however, have failed in practice, owing to thedifficulties of communicating the movement of a vast group of parts(such as go to make up a type-writer) by mechanical means to a countingdevice. Such methods were also found expensive and inaccurate andcalculated to interfere with the ordinary working of the machine, andthe detached devices were found to be unsuitable for use in combinationwith the various styles of machines in the market.

My invention does not attempt to attain the object in view by mechanicalmeans alone,but proposes the application of electricity, which will befound, as hereinafter described, to be especially and peculiarly adaptedas an unfailing means for communicating between a type-writing machineof any of the wellknown kinds and a counting device of any suitabledesign.

The various movable parts of a type-writer are naturally adapted to thework of automatically making electrical contacts, and the advantage of amethod of counting in which electricity is utilized will be strikinglydemonstrated by my invention.

In carrying out my invention only a few spring-contacts are introducedinto the machine, and these are conveniently located, so as to be out ofthe way and in no mannerinterfere with the mechanism of the machine.

My invention may also be readily used in connection with differentstyles of machines, such as the Remington, the Yost, Densmore, and suchlike.

With the aid of the accompanying drawings I will explain the principleand action of my invention.

Figure l is a front View of the counting device, which I choose fordescriptive purposes merely, since it is obvious that any convenientelectrical counting device may be used with equal advantage and results.Fig. 2 is a View of Fig 1 with the dial-plate removed to show themechanism. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an automatic switcharrangement I for avoiding the waste of the battery. Fig. 4 is a diagramshowing in plan a skeleton type-writer and the counting device withelectrical connections, as hereinafter more fully set forth. Fig. 5 is aperspective view, on an enlarged scale, of certain familiar parts in aRemington type-writer and illustrating the operation of the provisionfor controlling the space-circuit from the carriage-spacing lever andthe line-space lever. Fig. 6 is another perspective view, on a similarscale, illustrating the provision by which the side bar operated by thespace-key breaks the typecircuit and establishes the space-circuit. Fig.7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing one key-lever, the rockinglever which controls the escapement mechanism, and its relation to thecircuit-closing springs of the type-circuit. Fig. 8 is a detached viewillustrating the arrangement of the circuit-closing springs andhyphen-key for closing the supplemental circuit to interrupt the typeand space circuits.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin all the figures where they appear.

A and A are two electromagnets of soft iron.

B is an ordinary soft-iron armature attached at right angles to theoscillating lever C, the

armature being pivoted at D between a bracket D on a fixed portion ofthe counter and the dial-plate. This armature actuates the ratchet-wheelE by means of two pawls I) Z), whereby each oscillation of the armaturedrives the wheel one tooththat is to say, when the armature is attractedto magnet A pawl b engages, and when it is attracted to magnet A pawl bengages. At each revolution of the ratchet-wheel E a stud c on the faceof the same comes in contact with the crank-lever d, pivoted at d andcarrying a freely-pivoted pawl e, the said lever being raised by thestud and actuating the pawl 6 drives the wheel F forward one tooth, thusrecordinga unit. A spring 6 holds the wheel F while pawl c recedes overits teeth.

The mechanism thus far described presents a simple electricalcontrivance adapted to indicate the number of movements of the armature,and as the wheel E is provided with one hundred and forty-four teeth itis obvious that seventy-two complete oscillations will causeonerevolution, which in turn will move the wheel E one tooth, thusindicating one folio of seventy-two words. By a complete oscillation ismeant the positive pull of the armature to the magnet A and therebyasimilar pull in the direction of the magnet A.

The circuit connections between the count ing device and thetype-writing machine will be best understood in connection with Fig. 4.

In all or nearly all type-writing machines the movable keys and leversoperate a universal part, and advantage is taken of this principle toestablish the electrical conneo tion necessary for the purposes of myinvention. Of course there are certain contingencies peculiar to alltype-writers which must be especially provided for and which will bereferred to farther on.

For the purpose of illustration I will assume my invention to be workedin connection with a Remington machine, although with but slightmodification it will be found equally suitable and applicable to alltypewriters.

In the Remington all the letter-keys and also the space-bar operate oneuniversal part, and this part in turn operates other mechanism for thework of the machine.

I find the most convenient part with which to make the principalelectrical contact is that known as the rocking lever, which controlsthe carriage-escapement mechanism. Fig. 7, which shows one key-lever Xand the transverse suspended bar X connected to the pivoted rockinglever X illustrates generally how all the key-levers vibrate the rockinglever, since they all extend across the bar X and parallel with thelever X, as in the Remington machine.

On the frame of the machine, in close proximity to the rocking lever Xare a pair of insulated contact-springs 1 and 2, one of which isconnected by wire with the counting device direct and forming a partialcircuit through the coils of the magnetA to the bat tery, the balance ofthe incomplete circuit being formed by a wire leading from the batteryto the metal side bar G, controlled by the space-bar, thence to thecontact-spring 4, and finally connecting with the spring 2. Thus whenthe oscillating lever X presses the spring 1 in contact with spring 2 acircuit will be completed through the magnet A, as indi cated by thebarbed arrows. This circuit I term the type-circuit and the magnet inits path the type-magnet.

From the description thus far it will be obvious that on striking theproper key for the first letter of a word the type-circuit will beclosed to cause the type-magnet A to attract the armature I3 and movethe ratchet-wheel E by means of the pawl b. In the printing of a wordthe type-circuit is made and broken each time aletter-key is depressed.The move ment of the keys succeeding that of the initial letter is notindicated on the dial, since the armature B is held in a positionwherein it is not capable of acting on the ratchetwheel, the attractionfor each letter being in the same direction. Immediately, however, thearmature is attracted to the opposite magnet A the pawl Z) engages anddrives the ratchet-wheel forward one tooth.

The second magnet A, which I designate the "space-magnet, is included inthe incomplete circuit indicated by the unbarbed arrows and iscontrolled by the space-bar and also by the line-space lever and thecarriagerelease lever. Inasmuch as the space-bar also operates therocking lever X provision must be made for breaking the type-circuitwhen.

the space-bar is operated. For this purpose spring-contacts 3 and 4,insulated with respect to each other, are introduced into the spacecircuit. The natural tendency of the spring-contact 4 is to occupy aposition out of contact with a part G, connected to and caused todescend whenever the space-bar is depressed. As shown, the part G willcorrespond with one of the side bars of the frame in a Remington machinewhich is depressed by the space-bar.

The spring t will be normally held in con tact with the side of the barG by a springtongue II, held in an insulating-fastening. The freeportion of this tongue II is bent to normally hold the contact 4 againstthe side of the bar G, thus representing the position of the parts whenthe space-key is at rest; but upon the depression of the latter the barG will descend and an inclined lug G thereon will force the tongue IIagainst the spring 3, and thereby liberate the spring 4.- to break itscontact with the space-bar,interrupt the typecircuit, and establish thespace-circuit,whereby the space-magnet A is energized and the armatureattracted thereto. Thus when the space-bar is depressed no current willpass through the coils of the type-magnet A, notwithstanding the factthat the space-bar actuates the rocking lever X I of a line.

It maybe here mentioned thatin the Yost machine there is a specialmoving part for the letter-keys alone, so that the electrical connectionbetween the counting device and this type of machine is simplified, asit is not necessary to provide for breaking the typecircuit when thespace-bar is struck.

So far as the letter-keys and space-key are concerned the electricalconnections are now complete, and it will be perceived that the Work ofcounting is extremely simple. Provision must, however, be made for themovements of the platencarriage, whereby spacing is sometimes effected,and also for the usual operation of spacing between the lines with theline-space lever. This is accomplished by arranging for the inclusion ofthese movements in the space circuit, which is effected by fixingspring-contacts 5 and 6 on the carriage-bar,which are acted upon by anarm 7, attached to the carriage-rack 7 5! whereby the operation of theline-space lever 10 or carriage-release l1, acting on the carriage-rack,will press these springs together and complete the space-circuit. Thuswhenever the space-key, the line-spaces, or the carriage-release is usedthe same effect is produced--that is, the space-circuit is actuated andthe armature attracted to the magnet A. It is clear, therefore, thatwhenever the operator completes a word he must produce, first, either anordinary short space or, second, a long space or, third, a space betweenthe lines, and any of these operations will result in causing thearmature to approach the spacemagnet and act on the ratchet-wheel E andthus record the typing of a word. A little consideration will now showthat the armature will oscillate once to and fro for every word typed nomatter how many letters there are in the word or how many spacingmovements there are between words. It will also be clear that it willoscillate no oftener than there are words typed no matter howcomplicated the work is, with one exceptionnamely, when a broken wordcomes at the end It will be obvious that if the operator breaks a wordat the end of a line and continues it on the next the armature willoscillate once for each bit of the broken word, there being amagnetization of the spacemagnet in going from line to line.

Should it be inconvenient to avoid breaking words at the end of theline, advantage may be taken of the fact that when a word is broken atthe end of a line the last thing typed is a hyphen. The hyphen-key 12therefore may be made to close a circuit 13, connected with a specialmagnet 14, whose function when energized is to attract an armature 15,normally held by a spring 16 in contact with circuit-terminals 17 and18. The arma ture therefore normally closes the space-circuit at thispoint, and when moved by the magnet destroys the capacity of saidcircuit for being completed. The wires of the circuit 13 are connectedto spring-contacts 19 20 below the hyphen-key and adapted to be pressedtogether when said key is depressed. By such an arrangement the movementmade in going from line to line will be ineffectual to close thespace-circuit when a motion of the hyphen-key immediately precedes. Thearmature, however, whose motion toward the hyphen-key magnet destroyedthe space-cir cuitis made to resume its position, and thereby to restorethe space-circuit by another magnet whose circuit is closed by exactlythe same motions as those closing the type-circuit. Thus it will be seenthat the spacecircuit will be ready for use after every line the lastword of which is a completed word, but it will be, as it were, out ofgear or broken when the last thing done on the line has been the usingof a hyphen.

In the typing of words it will be observed that the type-magnct ismagnetized several times successively for each letter contained in eachrespective word. Now the magnetization for the first letter is all thatis required for the purpose of the invention, so that the effect oftyping the subsequent letters of the same word simply wastes thebattery. Similarly if there are several spacing movements between thewords there is a corresponding waste of the battery. To prevent thiswaste of energy, I propose to make the armature of the counting deviceact as an automatic switch in a manner illustrated. by diagram Fig. 3.Here two contact-studs 8 and 9 are introduced, the one to the left beingin the typecircuit and the one to the right being in the space-circuit.The coils of the magnets A and A connect electrically with the armatureB through wire 9 As shown in the diagram, the armature is attracted tothe type-magnet A and is in contact with stud 8, in which position thecircuit of this magnet is broken, but immediately the space-circuit isactuated the space-magnet A attracts the armatu re, which, makingcircuit with the stud 9, breaks the space-circuit. Thus it will be seenthat it is only the typing of the first letter of a word or the first ofa series of spac ing movements, such as sometimes occurs between twowords, as in paragraphing, that will affect either magnet. This actionwill be readily understood and needs no elaboration. It is merelyintended to economize the battery and has nothing to do with theoperationof word-counting.

In the working of my invention it will be observed that every letter-keymakes a contact for the type-magnet. This does not matter in the case ofstops, brackets, and such like, because they are always typed inimmediate connection with words; but in the case of the underscore-keyit might happen that an underscore might be counted as a word. Any suchdifficulty, however, may be avoided by utilizing ashort circuit-4.6.,making any such key close a short circuit for the battery-and thenthrowing the registering mechanism temporarily out of operation.

IIO

I recommend that the use of the underscore be avoided altogether whenusing my invention or some allowance made therefor. Another point iswith regard to the hyphen-key. On the Remington and other high-classInachines the hyphen-key also types some other character. If suchcharacter ended a line, it might prevent a word being counted byoperating the l1yphen-key-correcting device. Arran gements may be madeto avoid this difficulty. As an illustration the hyphen may be combinedon the same type with a character which never can occur at the end of aline for instance, the first bracket of a parenthesis-as indicated inFig. 4. These minor points, however, must be considered in connectionwith the work the counting device is to perform.

Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention, Iwould have it understood that I do not confine myself to the specialmethod whereby the electrical connections are established between atype-writer and a counting device as herein described, as these may bealtered or modified to suit different types of machines; neither do Iconfine myself to the particular construction of counting device hereindescribed, as any suitable electrical counting contrivance may be used.

The device herein shown is somewhat crude in construction, beingdesigned for simplicity and to facilitate the description ofmyinvention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with a type-Writer, aregistering mechanism, circuit connections controlled by theletter-keys, and a supplemental circuit including an electromagnet 14,and armature 15, for breaking the key-circuit, and a circuit-closeroperable by the hyphen or similar key for closing the supplementalcircuit to throw the key-circuit out of operation and omit the countingby the line-spacing, substantially as herein specified.

2. In combination with a type-Writer, a counter, key and space circuitsconnecting the type-writer and counter, and means for closing saidcircuits through the movement of the letter-key and space-bar, a magnet14 and a supplemental circuit including the same, an armature 15 forinterrupting the key and type circuits, and a circuit-closer controlledby the hyphen or similar key, substantially as herein specified.

3. In combination with a type- Writer, a counter, key and space circuitsconnecting the type-writer and counter, and means for closing saidcircuits through the letter and space keys, contact-springs 5, 6, in abranch of the space-circuit, and an arm 7 connected to and controlled bythe movements of the carriage rack-bar, substantially as hereinspecified.

4. The combination with a type-writer, of a registering mechanismincluding a vibrative armature, electromagnets A, A, and type and spacecircuits controlled by the letter and space keys respectively, and aswitch for alternately cutting out the magnets after the initial pullthereof, substantially as herein specified.

5. The combination with a type-writer, of an armature O, twoelectromagnets A, A, for oppositely moving the same, connectedregistering mechanism operated by said armature and electricalconnections from one magnet to the type-keys and from the other magnetto the spacing-lever, arranged as shown so that the type-keys Will movethe armature in one direction and the spacing-bar will move it in theother and thus register the first letter in each word and thereby thetotal number of words, substantially as herein specified.

Dated this 7th day of January, 1898.

EDIVARD MOIIUGH.

IVitnesses:

R. B. Boron, ANGELO FAHIE.

